After carefully examining the bedsheets for a long time, Igarashi Masata finally discovered the true source of the bloodstains.
They had come from his own mouth.
After calming down, he realized that his lip had been scratched during the night. Several small cuts had formed, and blood had seeped out while he was sleeping. It seemed that some of the intense movements from his dream had actually happened in reality.
Fortunately, the wounds were shallow and had already begun healing.
Still, the incident served as an important reminder.
No matter how strong he was, if he was caught off guard, he could still be injured.
This time, it was only because he trusted U.A.'s security too much and had fallen into deep sleep. Under normal circumstances, Masata was extremely vigilant—any slight disturbance would usually wake him.
He also couldn't help thinking about the strange instinctive perception he had experienced during the wilderness battle.
That mysterious sensation had allowed him to react purely on instinct, helping him escape All For One's attack and instantly detect his weakness.
It had given him the chance to land a decisive blow.
Yet ever since that battle, the power had never appeared again.
Just like Conqueror's Haki, perhaps it required the right opportunity to awaken once more.
For now, he put those thoughts aside.
Today's main task was more practical.
Since Hatsume Mei needed his hair to make his new combat uniform, Masata had already agreed to deliver it personally. Early in the morning, he went to ask Aizawa for permission to leave campus.
"A special combat uniform like that really exists… and the school is planning to promote it in the future. Since this concerns your equipment, I approve."
As expected, strength came with privileges.
Aizawa already acknowledged that he wasn't Masata's opponent, so he felt comfortable letting him go out alone.
Following the address Hatsume Mei had given him, Masata took a taxi straight to the hair-growth hero's studio.
From the outside alone, it looked like a luxurious villa.
Business was clearly booming.
The Growing Hair Hero was a middle-aged man with thick, jet-black hair. After learning that Masata was a U.A. student and the champion of the Sports Festival, he became extremely enthusiastic and personally received him.
After all, no one would miss the chance to build connections with a future top hero.
The process itself was simple.
The hair-growth hero placed both hands on Masata's scalp and began massaging.
Soon, Masata felt intense itching.
Then—
His hair began growing wildly.
Like weeds after rain, thick strands burst out from his scalp. Within seconds, they formed a black torrent that poured down his back and spread across the floor.
The scene was astonishing.
"Student Igarashi… your physical condition is incredible."
Even the hair-growth hero was stunned.
His quirk only stimulated growth—the actual output depended entirely on the client's physical vitality.
In other words, Masata's body itself was producing this terrifying volume of hair.
This was the first time he had ever seen something like this.
His gaze toward Masata grew even brighter.
"Here! This is our VIP card! From now on, all services here are free for you!"
He hurriedly pulled out a black card and stuffed it into Masata's pocket.
After trimming the excess hair and packing it neatly into a sack, he personally escorted Masata out—without charging a single yen.
Masata, carrying an entire bag of hair, felt slightly dazed.
But he understood the man's intentions.
Not everyone had the strength to ignore social rules. Most people survived by relying on connections.
Building goodwill with him was simply smart.
After delivering the sack of hair to Hatsume Mei and confirming the design of his combat uniform once more, Masata left the lab in high spirits and returned to the training grounds.
By then, it was already afternoon.
Yet the students' enthusiasm showed no sign of fading.
As their special moves continued to improve, the Gamma Training Ground was filled with shouts and cheers.
"Yo, All Might, you're here too."
Standing beside Aizawa was the thin version of All Might.
When he saw Masata, he panicked slightly and instantly transformed into his muscular form in a burst of steam.
"Because the students need me, I am here!"
After delivering his catchphrase, he quickly returned to his weakened state.
Although the embers of One For All still burned within him, his physical condition remained unstable.
"I heard from Aizawa, Young Igarashi, that you helped many classmates. You've truly fulfilled your duty as class representative!"
All Might looked at Masata with increasing satisfaction.
Strong.
Reliable.
Kind.
Handsome.
He was practically the perfect hero template.
"Haha, it was nothing. I just shared some ideas. Everyone else did the real work."
After exchanging some casual words, Masata lowered his voice.
"AFO is securely imprisoned, right?"
All Might's expression turned serious.
"Yes. Because he's a special case, he's being held in a high-security facility. You injured him badly before—even his accelerated regeneration can't fully heal him. He won't be causing trouble again."
"In that case… the biggest threat left is Shigaraki."
Masata silently made up his mind.
Next time they met, he wouldn't let him escape.
However—
Neither of them knew that a new storm was already beginning to gather.